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Rep. Kelly Condemns U.N. Official for Blaming Boston Attacks on America; Calls on President Obama to Denounce

Apr 24, 2013

WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) issued the following statement today in condemnation of United Nations Special Rapporteur Richard Falk for statements made in a recent essay inferring that the United States is culpable for the Boston Marathon terrorist attacks.

“At this time of national healing for America, it is beyond outrageous that an appointed official of the U.N. Human Rights Council would actually assert that we got what we deserved in Boston last week. Mr. Falk’s vile insinuations are an inexcusable insult to the victims and their families, the heroes who bravely responded to the chaos, the law enforcement officers who gave their all bringing the bombers to justice, and indeed every citizen across our country. It is a scandalous shame that not even a deliberate terrorist attack against innocent men, women, and children could shake Mr. Falk’s petty anti-Americanism enough to prevent him from rushing to excuse the attackers in order to blame the United States for our suffering.

“Mr. Falk’s despicable essay should be sufficient to dismiss and discredit him from serious conversation, but unfortunately he happens to be a top official of the United Nations – a body whose largest financial contributor is the United States – and has a long history of anti-American and anti-Israeli vitriol that can no longer be ignored. I thank Ambassador Rice for her recent condemnation, but more than a two-sentence tweet is needed. I call on President Obama to stand up for America by denouncing all of Mr. Falk’s offensive slanders against our country and insisting to Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon that he be removed from his post.”